iOS: Chrome now lets you switch between work, personal accounts
What's the story
Google has announced a new feature for its Chrome browser on iOS, making it easier to switch between work and personal Google accounts. The update comes as an answer to the previous method where users had to sign out of one account and log into another, every time they wanted to access a different account. This was particularly tedious for those who used their mobile devices for both work and personal tasks with multiple Google accounts.
Enhanced feature
Introducing managed account browsing
The new feature, as Google explained in a blog post, is called managed account browsing. It offers strict data separation when it comes to web browsing, and seamless switching between accounts. When users sign in or switch to their work Google account on Chrome, their organization-related browsing shall be kept separate from other activities on the devices. Local data such as tabs, history, and passwords remain within the managed account browsing experience.
Organizational support
Update helps employees access company resources on personal devices
The update comes as many firms are moving away from company phones, forcing employees to access company resources on their personal devices. Google says the improved account switching experience and data separation "better enables businesses to allow employees to use their device of choice." When users sign in or switch to a managed account for the first time, they see an onboarding screen explaining how managed account browsing works and how their organization handles their data.
Data control
What organizations can control
Organizations can maintain control and decide how the existing browsing data is handled when a user first signs in/switches to a managed account. Once users switch to their managed account, they are notified that they are entering a managed experience. Google has also added some advanced security features that IT departments can implement for added protection against information theft.